The present invention relates to a storage device including a security function and a host device connectible to the same and to a storage device and a host device associated therewith to control management and execution of application software.
An integrated circuit (IC) card is a memory card used in a system requiring high security processing, for example, in a system of credit settlement and banking processing. Usability of an IC card is improved for the user by installing in the IC card a function called “dynamic loading” which loads a plurality of application programs in the card and which additionally loads application programs in the card after issuance thereof.
In the installation of an application program by the dynamic loading, it is required to make a check to prevent an illegal use thereof. That is, validity is checked both for the application program, and for the IC card. Only when both of them are valid, the application can be installed in the card. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-325037 describes a method in which to secure safety in the situation described above, a terminal device dedicated to a service provider is used for the purpose or a user terminal is used to conduct authentication and installation of application between a server and an IC card via a network.
In the installation of application using a dedicated terminal described above, it is required for the user to visit an installation place of the terminal. Or, it is required that the card is delivered to the place of the terminal and then the card is returned to the user. That is, the physical movement of the IC card imposes a heavy load onto the user and the service provider and hence there arises a problem of lower usability of the IC card. In the installation via a network, the physical movement of the IC card is prevented by using a terminal of the user. However, each time application is installed or deleted, it is required to connect the terminal to the server on a specified network. This leads to a problem that the operation is troublesome and the load of the server is increased. For example, in a case in which the IC card includes a plurality of application programs in advance, when the IC card does not have a sufficient area to additionally install a new application program therein, it is required for the user to delete at least one application program existing in the card before the new application program is installed. For this purpose, it is necessary to connect the terminal to the server for each operation. To restore the deleted application program, it is required for the user to request the application provider to install the application program again. This is troublesome for the service provider and the user.